5 Signs Your Facility Needs a New Design

Whether you run an e-commerce business or a manufacturing plant, intuitive workspace design is essential. The right facility design can improve your day-to-day efficiency, employee morale, and impression on clients.

But when you’re in the thick of things, it may be difficult to identify changes that need to be made or to determine whether your workspace design needs to change at all. In this blog, we list five signs that you should talk to a professional facility designer about your space.

1. Frequent Problems in a Particular Area

Every business owner has to deal with setbacks. Many of these setbacks can’t be prevented. However, if a high number of problems arise in a specific area of your facility, bad design could be the cause.

This area could be anywhere in your facility, from the employee entrance to the manufacturing floor. For example, imagine having frequent quality-control issues, minor injuries, and miscommunications at a single work station in your factory and that these problems aren’t affected by changing operators or maintaining the equipment.

If you notice persistent problems involving a certain workspace, that area or even your entire facility may need redesigning.

2. Noncompliance with Codes or Regulations

Many commercial buildings are used for multiple purposes over time. This reuse means you don’t have to build a brand-new building for every business.

Unfortunately, premises that have had several owners and uses may fall short in complying with building codes or industry regulations. For example, a retail space that has been converted into a warehouse may not have the aisle clearance needed, and a warehouse-turned-factory could have wiring issues.

When you purchase your commercial space, have a contractor perform a full inspection to ensure the building is suited to your needs. If you already own the space, have this type of inspection performed before making any changes. You may find that a redesign is necessary to bring your facility up to code.

3. Non-Ergonomic Work Stations

As a business owner, you work hard to prevent employee injuries. Not only can injuries impact the quality of your workers’ lives, but these incidents can also cause project setbacks, decreased productivity, and other general business issues.

But not all injuries are acute. It’s also important to safeguard against repetitive-motion injuries and other problems that occur over long periods of time, especially when a work station isn’t built to accommodate the operator’s needs.

Redesigning to make your workspace more ergonomic can increase employee morale and productivity as well as protect you from the legal and business problems that result from on-the-job injuries.

4. Unused or Underused Space

A good facility design uses every inch of available space to move your projects and your company as a whole forward. Think about the layout of your facility. Are there large sections of dead space? Are there workstations that never get used? Are there areas that become catch-alls for debris because they don’t have a designated purpose?

If you have any unused or underused spaces in your facility, consult with a designer. Integrating these spaces can make your facility more visually appealing and more functional overall.

5. Upcoming Company Changes

Redesigns often happen to correct existing problems like those listed above. However, you should also consider design work to accommodate upcoming changes. For example, if you’re rebranding your business, a brighter, more modern design may make a bigger impression on your clients.

If you’re entering a secondary industry or adding more equipment to your factory floor, a redesign ensures that these new pieces are seamlessly integrated into your existing space.

If your business is plagued with the issues listed above, it may be time for a redesign. Begin the design process to ensure that your facility stays safe, practical, and profitable.